The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-03-30
FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS
Charges Made Against Messrs. Still
Well and Stanley.
Hearing Of the Case at Augusta
Yesterday.
No Decision Yet Made by the Cow
ernor and Council.

council today opened hearing on charges
against the Commissioners and petition for
their removal from Office George G.. Wing
OF Auburn, Judge Savage of Lewiston, F.
Il. Undertake of Phillips, and A. M. Spear
OF Gardiner, are counsel for Gen. George M.
Harmon of New Haven, Conn, who stands
behind the charges, and George d. Bisbee of
Buckield, appeared for the Fish Commits
sioners, Henry M. Stanley; Lewis Barker
and /. w. Vose of Bangor, for Commits
sioner e. M. Stillwell. A large number of
gentlemen interested in fish and game
matters were present. A. NJ. Spear opened
for the prosecution, offering a statement
of facts aud specification of charges as
follows: That the Fish Commissioners en-
forced the fish and game laws in an uneven
and partial manner; that Commissioner
Stillwell maliciously prosecuted George NJ.
Harmon; that the Commissioners used funds
of the State to pay their own private bills
and otherwise misappropriating them; that
Mr.. Stillwell wrongfully paid out funds of
the State for expenses of George d. Huntoon
and himself in defending private civil suit !;
that the Commissioners have not given the
tecting and disseminating fisn that they
should; that the Fish Commissioners have
taken large number of spawn from the
Rangeley waters and sold them for private
purposes and sent them out of the State that
Commissioner Stanley unlawfully attempted
to influence witnesses in suit growing out
OF a malicious prosecution by one Commits
sioner for alleged violation of the fish and
game laws; that the Commissioners violated
the fish and game law by killing fish and
game in close time. The point was raised by
the defence that the evidence and charge
could not reach beyond the present term of
Office OF the Commissioners. A petition with
200 names of citizens Of Franklin county,
asking for the removal of Commissioner Still
well. was presented.
A large amount of documentary evidence
was presented. A letter from Fish Commits
sioner Stanley to Theodore L. Page. of Phil
lips, was read which was held by the coun-
sci for the prosecution to be intended to in
fiuence the testimony which Mr.. Page might
give in one of the cases. The reports of the
fish commissioners for the past six years,
bills of lawyers, Messrs. Stillwell and Stan
ley's receipts and vouchers have been intro
duced as evidence. General Harmon testi-
fled to the killing of deer in Rangeley
Lake by his guide on Sunday, June 10, 1884,
and the subsequent events in connection
He was aware that the law had been broken
and endeavored to make amends by at once
forwarding $40 to Game Warden Huntoon.
lie thought he had been prosecuted in an
unwarranted and malicious manner Mr.
Frank c. Huey, employed at the Rangeley
Lake Matching house in 1884, testified that
more than three-fourths of the 100000 trout
eggs collected by the Fish Commissioners
that year had been sent out of the State.
The legal limit is three-fourths. His son
testified to the same effect. The prosecution
rested its case here. and George d. Bisbee,
Esq, opened for the defence. Letters writ
ten by General Harmon to the Commission
ers, were read. in which Mr.. Harmon gave
those officials to understand that day of
reckoning was at hand.
Fish Commissioner Stanley took the stand
in the evening Commissioner Stillwell
testified that the Matching house at Rangeley
was private and the state did not own one
cent in it. In answer to charges that the
Rangeley lake region had been neglected in
planting fish he presented figures to show
that since 1874 one-third rhe plant had been
there. Secrecy has been used in some eases
on account of the jealousy of guides. Seven
ty-fve thousand salmon eggs had been
hatched by him and turned Tito Rangeley by
him. The $50 paid Hewey in 1884 was for
the care of these eggs and repairs.
Hon. Lewis Barker made the closing argu-
ment for the defence. He claimed that the
Governor and Council had no jurisdiction to
remove the Commissioners by impeachment
proceedings, but.that the power lay with the
Legislature. The Governor could only re-
move by confirmed appointment. He re-
viewed the charges and held that the Com
missioners were hunted instead of General
Harmon.
Judge George C. Wing closed for the
prosecution.
From the ease made out it is not probable
the Governor and Council will disturb the
Commissioners.